Explanatory note

This Supplementary Order Paper amends the Education Amendment Bill, which as currently drafted excludes partnership schools kura hourua from the restrictions on appointment of teachers provided for in the principal Act.

This bill, as drafted, allows charter schools to employ staff with no formal teaching qualifications and does not even require the principal of a charter school to be a qualified teacher.

The Education and Science Committee heard evidence from submitters that schooling systems with the highest rates of performance in the OECD also have some of the most stringent teacher registration requirements. Teaching requires a unique set of skills, and the Labour Party believes that all teachers should be appropriately qualified for the job and registered.

This Supplementary Order Paper amends the bill to remove exemptions for teachers at partnership schools kura hourua to be registered. Significantly, this Supplementary Order Paper amends the bill to disallow partnership schools kura hourua to appoint or continue to employ a teacher whose practising certificate is suspended until a matter about or involving possible serious misconduct is concluded.